Alphabet Soup
by Rose of the West
Summary: Andromeda has an unwelcome suitor and suspects she's being hustled. This is not the Ted and Andromeda you're used to.
1. Chapter 1

It was the apples. Somehow he learned that she loved apples, and all through that winter, there was always an apple by her plate at every meal. Andromeda would look up, confused that there were no other apples in the entire Great Hall, and the Mudblood would be standing there, smiling cheekily and nodding. Andromeda would carefully put the apple in the middle of the table, where anyone might take it, and sat down to her own plate.

It was highly impertinent, of course, and for the first week, she would put the apple down and ignore it. There came a night, though, when none of the choices at lunch appealed to her. She looked at the apple and then looked at the Mudblood. It was enough to make her wonder if she was in league with the House-elves. Her stomach rumbled. She looked hopefully at the table, hoping for something else, and finally decided. She picked up the apple, and Tonks leaned over at his seat to see what she would do.

She couldn't simply bite into it and eat it. Not with him watching this way. It was too personal, too intimate. She forced her hand to stop trembling and picked up her knife. She peeled the apple and cut it in half. There. Now it didn't look quite so much like what he'd left on the table, so she ate it. It was delicious. She didn't look at Tonks again, but dabbed at her lips with her napkin and left for her afternoon classes.

They were practicing spells involving rhythmic movements, upon which many household spells were based, when he appeared at her shoulder. "I saw the way you did that," he said. "It was as if you were undressing it, and then you smiled in delight as you took the first bite. You sucked on it a little when you started on the second half."

Andromeda was outraged. Boys didn't talk to her this way. It was too much like… like… Her face scrunched up. "I just ate it!"

"Yes, you just peeled it, and ate it, and I would love to be in the position of that apple sometime."

"Find me a knife, Mudblood, and we'll do it here and now," she hissed.

He answered with a laugh. "I can arrange something much more private, love. Just you, and me, and your luscious mouth."

She managed to ignore him for several days. When there was another apple by her breakfast plate, she looked at it with narrowed eyes, and then took her knife, stabbed it straight through the core of the fruit and into the table. Paying no attention to the audible gasp that went through the room, she sat down and poured herself some tea. The porridge looked like they'd made it her favorite way, and the toast was perfect. It would be a good day.

* * *

The apples kept coming. It appeared she couldn't escape him forever. One night as she was walking through the dungeons on the way to Slytherin, when he was suddenly walking next to her. "So when are we having that date?"

"We're not having a date, Mudblood."

"Of course not. I wouldn't dream of taking you anywhere, just your mouth. I dream about your mouth, and what I wonder if it can do, all the time."

Somehow, while she sputtered at the indignity of a boy talking to her about something so... so... sexual... he was guiding her away from the door to Slytherin. "Do you always talk like that?" she asked.

"Like what?"

"You know... You make everything sound like it happens in a bedroom."

He smiled knowingly. "I didn't say anything like that, love. Must be your mind that supplied the bedroom."

She spluttered again. "I did NOT! I don't have any business speaking about or even thinking-"

He stopped and put an arm around her. "Calm down, kitten. I was just teasing."

She pulled away. "I'm-I'm not-"

He looked around, and pointed at a door. "Let's go somewhere more comfortable, shall we?"

She shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

He smiled. "You are touchy. What do you have against me?"

She looked at him in surprise. "You're a Mudblood," she said as if it answered all the world's questions.

He held up his hands. "All right, all right. I'm a Mudblood. We've established that. But everyone who takes the time to get to know me likes me, and there's a whole world I want to explore behind your lips."

Andromeda took a step backward. Was a boy actually talking to her like this? She knew all about romance, that men and women did things together, but no one ever acted as though it might happen to her. She bit her lip. She needed to turn the conversation somehow. "How did you do it?"

He smiled, and perhaps it was because he brought up the subject of lips, but she wondered what kissing him would be like. "How did I do what?"

"The apples. They're not in season, so there haven't been many, but you made sure I had one at every meal for a while, there."

"Do you trust me to show you?"

"Maybe."

"Come on." He led her back toward the stairs and then to a still life portrait of fruit. "Here, tickle the pear."

"What?" Why did everything he said have to sound like that?

He reached over and took her books from her hands. "Do you see the pear in the portrait? Tickle it."

Andromeda reached to snatch her books back, but his look was almost a dare now, so she traced a fingertip along the surface of the pear. It flinched and giggled, but then there was a door handle. She gasped and looked up at her companion.

"Go ahead, open it," he said. The look in his face was still a dare.

Sighing, and wondering how she'd got into this situation, she walked through and found herself in a kitchen. "Miss Andromeda Black!" said a squeaky little voice. "Miss Black comes to visit us!"

She was quickly surrounded by House-elves, each of whom wanted to tell her what an honor it was to be visited by a member of the House of Black. Looking up, she saw what was almost a natural smile on the face of Ted Tonks. "I told them what I wanted, and then I told them whom it was for. They were only too eager to do something nice for you."

"I'm no one special."

"You belong to a prestigious family, and you treat them kindly and politely. I discovered they love you."

Andromeda shook her head. There was no reason to stay in the kitchen, so she moved back toward the door, but the elves seemed so sad that she promised she would return soon. "I had no idea," she said when they were back in the hallway.

"You have quite an effect on a lot of people," Tonks said quietly.

"You're almost like a real person when you're like this," she observed. Then she realized that might sound like a personal remark and blushed dark red. "I'm sorry, I mean-"

He chuckled. "Don't apologize. I think I know what you mean."

They got close to Slytherin again. Andromeda grabbed her books and turned to go, but Tonks was faster. "Wait just a second." He leaned down, and she stepped back. He stepped closer, and she was against the wall with no where to go. He touched his lips to hers. It wasn't a quick peck. There was softness and a pressure, and then just the slightest bit of damp as he backed away. "I knew it," he said gently. "Your lips are amazing. We'll have to do more."

Feeling suddenly petulant, she answered, "No we don't." She was pretty sure they didn't have to, although she found herself wanting to, very much. What was that swimmy feeling in her chest?

"No, we don't," he agreed with that cheeky grin, "but I'm going to hope for the next time, anyway, love. Sweet dreams."

* * *

He was in the hallway again two nights later. He teased her into learning a little more about kissing. At that point, she discovered that he must be getting apples for himself. They got into a pleasant routine, and Andromeda decided that kissing was a very enjoyable way to spend her time. She wondered what it would be like with the suitable Slytherin suitor she would one day have.

Then there were several nights when she didn't see Tonks at all. She wondered where he could be, but had no intention of seeking him out. No one could be that interested in a Mudblood, after all. Then, just as she was getting used to going straight from the library to the common room, he turned up again.

"Did you miss me?"

Andromeda stopped, turned, and looked him up and down. Then, with her nose in the air, she started walking again. "Of course not. It's nothing to me if a Mudblood pays attention to me."

"I didn't think so."

She glanced sideways out of the corner of her eye. "Since you bring it up, where have you been?"

"Richmond."

"Richmond?" It wasn't terribly far from Scotland, but surely he didn't leave the grounds of Hogwarts!

"Rheims."

He was having her on. She decided to ignore him.

"Rwanda?"

She really didn't care, did she? She sighed, and rolled her eyes, trying to appear bored.

"All right, you got me. I was spending some time with a friend from Ravenclaw. All R's, see?"

"A friend in Ravenclaw. You have a friend in Ravenclaw."

"Oh, yes, I was…" he paused as though not sure what to say… "working on a project, with my friend from Ravenclaw."

"It's nothing to me."

"It's something to me."

"It's nothing to me, just as you are nothing to me."

"That's fine, but we can have fun together, right?" He stopped, tugged her arm to stop her, too, and then leaned over to kiss her.

"I-I suppose."

He smiled and led her to a quiet hallway. Taking her books from her, he set them on the floor and then put his hands under her chin. "I've wanted to do this properly all week," he whispered. Then the kisses started, and Andromeda had to admit to herself that she had missed this. She barely noticed when his arms went around her, didn't even notice when her own hands slid up his shoulders and around his neck. It was very pleasant.

When they stopped, he licked his lips and smiled at her. "I should go to Richmond more often, if this is how you're going to greet me."

It sounded like he thought he owned her. She backed away and snatched out of his grasp. "I told you, Mudblood. It's nothing to me," she hissed. Looking around, she found her books, swept them up, and stalked to her common room.

It didn't keep her from kissing him the next night. The night after that, he began to explore the front of her robe. It was thrilling and seemed harmless, so she allowed it. She even let him unfasten her robe, leaving just her silk blouse between his hands and the skin that she knew was turning very pink with so much attention. She drew the line when he fingered the buttons of her blouse.

"I can't," she whispered, pulling away and snatching up her books.

"Aw, come on, Dromeda! I know they must be amazing."

"My sister calls me a cow." She winced. How could she let the Mudblood hear anything so personal?

"That thin little stick who's still waiting to fill out her underwear?"

"Don't talk about her that way!"

He put his hands out placatingly. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it as it came out. I just meant… I like your body."

She shook her head. "I don't know. I don't think I'm ready for that."

He tugged a curl that had worked out of her braid during the day, or perhaps more recently. "OK, Dromeda, I'll wait. I know it will be worth it."

"Don't call me that," she tossed over her shoulder as she walked toward Slytherin.

She went up to her room and got ready for bed. She opened her trunk and worked the catch to a secret compartment. One afternoon last summer, she'd escaped from the rest of her family and made a few purchases on her own. This particular item was silver-grey and lacy. It was much more attractive than the plain cotton her mother obtained for her. Perhaps it was time to wear the lace… not that it was for the Mudblood, of course. No boy or man had ever looked twice at her before the apples started coming. It was simply important for a Slytherin to show her assets to their best advantage.

Wasn't it?

* * *

She didn't worry too much when she didn't see Tonks for a few days, although she wore the lace on the days she would normally expect to see him. It wasn't because he was going to do anything special about it, of course. The lace had nothing to do with him.

She was wearing it one evening when she came down the stairs and overheard two boys talking. One of them had a voice she recognized well. It had to be her cousin Sirius.

"I can't believe you got Marjorie Wilson! I've heard she's pretty careful."

The other voice was unmistakably the Mudblood's. "A bloke just has to know how to pick his moment. Avery was a prick, she was miserable, and it was easy enough."

"Well, you won the contest, Tonks. You shagged one girl from each house. Here are the two hundred galleons." There was a loud clink as if a large money bag was shaken.

"Thanks, mate. It's a pleasure doing business."

Sirius barked out a laugh. "I'm sure you had the most pleasure."

Tonks's laugh echoed down the hallway that went toward the Hufflepuff Common Room.

Sirius came around toward the stairs. Andromeda straightened her spine. "Good evening, cousin. You're a bit below your usual place. Or did your upper-strata friends realize you're a Slytherin after all?"

Sirius chuckled. "I just had business down here, Andie. I'm headed back to where I belong, now."

"You should hurry. You don't want to be caught out after curfew."

"Such familial concern brings a tear to my eye," he said from the landing above her.

Andromeda looked around the common room until she found the face that could answer her question. "Hey, Reggie." She sat next to him.

"Hi, Andie."

"I just overheard Sirius, and can you explain something?"

"Maybe. I don't have much to do with him when we're at school."

"He was talking about some sort of a contest… a shagging contest?"

Regulus blushed. "Aw, Andie, you know…"

"How does a person win the contest?"

He squirmed, but she put a firm hand on his arm. He looked away. "He has to shag a girl from each of the four houses. Sirius and his friends said they'd give the first wizard who did that two hundred galleons."

She tried not to let her disgust show on her face. "I see. Well, now I understand. Thanks, Reggie."

"Sure, Andie."

That was that, then. Tonks must have only been interested in her to round out his contest. He'd kissed four other girls, he'd touched them all just as he'd touched her, and he'd done things with them that she hadn't let him do with her. It was a close thing, and she was better off having avoided it. She undressed and got ready for bed. She held up her lace underthings and pondered them. Perhaps she should burn them. No, it was unnecessary. He'd never seen her in them, and she liked the way she felt when she wore them. They had nothing to do with him after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Andromeda shut the Mudblood down the next time she saw him, as well as the time after that. She started going straight to the Common Room after dinner to emphasize her point, and he didn't get much chance to trouble her. The school term ended, and Andromeda returned to the family home. Her mother twitted her about her lack of suitors, and it crossed Andromeda's mind to mention the Mudblood, but she decided to hold onto that bit of embarrassment. She held her tongue and meekly agreed to Mother's social calendar. That left the days to go to St. Mungo's and train in being a Healer.

For a month or two it was a workable system. As long as her pearls were straight and she held her teacup properly while making small talk with some pure-blooded wizard or other, Andromeda was allowed to do as she wished with the rest of the day. She realized later that she should have paid more attention to whom Father and Mother were whispering in the corners. She should have been more curious about the people who were coming and going from Father's study. It wouldn't have been that hard to greet the people who came to visit Mother. Instead, she was studying certain types of medical diseases and missed the cues entirely. Then it happened, and once it happened, she was in the middle of it.

Andromeda had just got home from the hospital when Bellatrix came rushing into her bedroom. "Finally! You're home! Here, you need to put this on."

It was a long, dark cloak. Andromeda sighed. "Bella, I'm really tired and was hoping to just have dinner and then retire early tonight. I have a lot of reading to do, and I checked with Mother-there was nothing on her calendar."

Bella chuckled softly. "No cotillions or dinners tonight, dear sister. I told Mother that you're going to need to come with me."

If mother knew about it, then there would be more battle to get out of it than it was worth. Besides, what kind of event could require a long black cloak? It couldn't take more than an hour or two. "All right, but let's come home early, ok, sister?"

Bella smiled. "Of course, Andie. It will only take as long as you wish."

"All right then."

Andromeda put the cloak on, and then put her hand next to Bellatrix's on a portkey. They ended up in a sort of place where there were shops. She saw dress shops, toy shops, good gracious-a shop filled with knickers, and shops with food. Bellatrix put her arm around Andromeda and pointed. "I want you to cast a Reducto at that column."

There were at least a dozen Muggles standing right under the bit of walkway that column was holding. "Muggles will be killed, Bella! I can't do that!"

"That's the point, silly. This is how you're going to earn your place among the Dark Lord's followers. The best part is the Muggles will blame each other, thinking they built it incorrectly."

"I can't kill people!" Andromeda whispered.

Bellatrix laughed. "Is that what you're worried about? They're not people, Andie. They're just animals who want to steal our magic."

"I'm feeling sick. I can't do this."

Bellatrix stepped away from her and looked her up and down. "Seriously? Oh, wait, next you're going to tell me that you like them. I suppose you'd like to marry some Mudblood."

Andromeda shivered. "Of course not. But there's a huge difference between keeping my distance from them and," she whispered, "killing them."

Bellatrix sighed. "Andie, you're embarrassing me. If you won't do it, then I'll have to make you." The point of her wand was just visible between her fingertips. "Imperio!"

Suddenly Andromeda felt warm and content. Why not blast the column? The Muggles were walking back and forth. Perhaps they'd escape after all. Plus it would make Bella happy…

Just as she let her own wand slide into her hand, she saw a woman with a pushchair walk next to the column, and she hesitated. Then she was distracted by popping noises behind her. She shook it off. "I won't."

"Spineless little…" hissed Bellatrix. "Crucio!"

Pain... worse than she'd ever felt before hit Andromeda's breastbone and spread… She was nothing… the smallest speck of waste in the entire world… Yet every bit of her knew the enormity of awful that she was... She disappointed her sister... the Dark Lord... her parents... her other sister… and the list grew with every heartbeat…

Spells, hexes and jinxes, started flying all around her. Some may have hit her, but she couldn't feel anything but the horror Bellatrix was inflicting upon her. So much hate and agony that the world had toward Andromeda...

"Tonks! Get her out of here!" shouted a voice.

Andromeda shrieked with pain as arms surrounded her and she was whisked away. Her voice instantly was lost as her breath was squeezed out during the side-along Apparition. Then her breath sucked back into her body, and she fell to the floor of wherever she was, violently losing her lunch.

"Shit!" said whoever was holding her as he jumped away.

Andromeda lay there in her misery. She wanted nothing more than not to exist, but she couldn't avoid it. "Don't look at me," she whispered. "Just forget you ever saw me." Her voice was raspy and it hurt to breathe. She tried to cough but ended up just wheezing.

"Evanesco!" said a voice with the ring of authority. The mess around Andromeda cleaned up, although she feared there was still some in her hair and clothes.

She felt slightly better.

"Miss Black, can you get up?"

Andromeda pulled herself into a sitting position and looked around. "Yes sir, I think I can." She stood up and beheld one of the most beautiful men she'd ever seen.

Her knees trembled and she must have swayed, because the other man put an arm around her. "Whoa, kitten. Let's make sure your legs are under you."

It was the Mudblood. The same one who'd been so nice to her because he'd hoped to use her in a contest. She stiffened her frame and stepped away. "I don't need your help," she said quietly. She looked around and saw the other wizard. "Where am I, and what is your name, sir?"

The man was even more beautiful with a smile. "I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt, Miss Black, and I take it you know Ted Tonks?" The voice that went with that smile did not disappoint.

Tonks answered for her, "We were in the same year at Hogwarts."

"I see," said Kingsley. "You were brought to the Ministry. I'm an Auror, and Tonks is training with Magical Law Enforcement."

"I need to get home. I have to study, and I have a shift tomorrow at the hospital…"

Auror Shacklebolt held up a hand. "First, a Mediwitch will look you over. Then we need to get your statement, and after that we'll decide where you will go."

Another Auror came. "Auror Moody, Miss Black. Can you explain what your sister and you were doing in that shopping center?"

Andromeda shook her head. "I thought she wanted me to go to some dinner party and meet wizards my family hoped I would marry. I had no idea what she wanted." She thought of the woman with the pushchair and shuddered. "Is Bellatrix here?"

Auror Moody shook his head. His face had several scars, but he looked like he could handle himself. "She escaped, along with others in You-know-who's army."

After a warm soothing potion, the Mediwitch declared Andromeda healthy enough to be interviewed. Next on the agenda was a long conversation with the Aurors. Andromeda was put into what was euphemistically called a "waiting room" with instructions to wait for them to come back. She didn't know how long she'd had her head on the table in front of her when they came back for her.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Kingsley.

Andromeda couldn't speak. She just nodded and hoped that she didn't look too silly. She didn't know why, but she found him very attractive. His look was kind and a little sad, and she knew that he knew what she was thinking and felt bad for her. She winced inwardly and wished for a shower and then her own bed. This evening had been embarrassing, and horrifying, too long, and was now back to embarrassing.

"All right then, come along."

She followed him out to the main hallway of the Ministry. Floo powder was thrown into a fireplace, a destination was whispered, and she was pushed in. She knew as soon as she fell into the Mudblood's arms, yet again, that she was in the wrong place.

He was good enough to make sure she was on her feet but let go of her as quickly as possible. He was too busy arguing with someone. "I have to be in Bangkok tonight."

A sarcastic voice answered. "Bangkok. Really."

"Barcelona?"

Andromeda turned to see Madam Bones shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

"All right, Bath. I have a long weekend scheduled in Bath. It started with a 'B'."

Madam Bones shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Mr. Tonks, but you and Miss Black will need to stay in this safe house until further notice. After you left the shopping center, several of her sister's friends were heard to shout threats against you both."

Andromeda felt a sort of panic. "I need to get to the hospital! And I need my things... There is a mountain of reading I was supposed to do! Please, Madam Bones. There must be something that can be done."

The older witch smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Miss Black, but the threats against you were particularly ugly, and we would prefer to keep you safe while we assess the danger. You will both be escorted to your jobs in the morning, and you will have to stay there until you are brought home. As for clothing and your books, is it possible that one of your family's house-elves can assist you? Someone from the Ministry is already going to Mr. Tonk's home to get some of his things, but we don't believe your family will be sympathetic to your situation."

Andromeda thought for a moment. "Facta has always been kind to me, but-"

"Here I is, Mistress."

Andromeda sank to her knees and would have hugged this one small person from home, but remembered that her clothes were disgusting. "Can you tell Madam Bones that home is fine and I can go there if I want?"

The elf shook her head. "I can, Mistress, if that is your wish, but it wouldn't be true. Mistress Trixie and Mistress Trixie's friends want to take Mistress Deedee to Lestrange Manor and lock up Mistress Deedee with Master Montague."

"My parents wouldn't let them do that!"

"Mistress Druella says as long as Mistress Deedee is married before, it will be all right. Master Cygnus says it makes no difference."

Madam Bones spoke gently. "That's what they've been saying, Andromeda. They want you to marry Bertram Montague."

"I need to go home and then to St. Mungos tomorrow. My patients are expecting me."

"We'll get you to St. Mungo's. For tonight, is there anything Facta can get you?"

Andromeda nodded her head. "Could you bring me my hospital clothing, and perhaps some of the clothes I used to take to Hogwarts? Underthings, nighties and those things, too? I also need the books from my desk."

Facta smiled. "Oh, yes, Mistress!"

Madam Bones smiled. "That's sorted, then. Let me show you the layout of the flat."

The Mudblood was very quiet for a couple of days, for which Andromeda was grateful. Facta brought her just the sorts of things she needed, and if the choices weren't exactly appropriate, at least she had clothes for the hospital and to wear around the apartment, which was the only places she would be going for the foreseeable future.

She came out of the shower the first night and heard arguing. The Mudblood was speaking quietly but definitely angrily. Peeking around the corner of the hallway, she saw one of the Prewett brothers. She pulled her robe more tightly around her throat and backed away. Clearly Tonks was upset, and Andromeda wasn't going to antagonize him. She, at least, could only blame her own family. He was just doing his job and ended up here, punished for doing the right thing.

Somehow, the two managed to avoid seeing each other for several days. Andromeda was grateful to have the solitude. As soon as she got to the hospital the next day, she discovered she was reassigned. "We can't keep you safe in the regular wings of the hospital," said the MLE officer who brought her to the dungeons. "There are simply too many ways people could get to you and we'd never be able to make sure your family didn't run off with you. Here, though, there's limited access, and we have officers in all the corridors."

Andromeda shook hands with the teaching Healer and tried not to look aghast. She had been taught to keep an even temper in all circumstances, but she had also been taught to avoid certain disorders as she would avoid poison or setting herself on fire. Despite all the care she had taken to avoid it, her family's threats caused her to be assigned to the lycan ward. It was happily after the full moon, so Andromeda spent the first days meeting some of the patients who were simply recovering from their transformations. Slowly she found herself losing her horror of werewolves and gaining a horror of the lives they were forced to lead, trapped by circumstances beyond their control. Her own life in the safe house was nothing in comparison.

She was bemused by this change in attitude over the course of the first week and didn't notice one evening that she had sat in the kitchen longer than usual. She was startled by seeing Tonks put the kettle on as a step to fixing his dinner. "I'm sorry. I'll just clear my things out of the way."

"Plenty of room," he replied.

She went over to the sink and started washing her dishes anyway. "I should thank you... and apologize. This was brought on by my being part of my family, but you didn't deserve any of this, just because you helped me."

"She was torturing you to the point of madness. I took an oath to stop that sort of thing whenever I saw it. It's just my job."

"But you shouldn't be stuck here because of it."

"And a family shouldn't treat their daughters like yours has treated you."

"But my family started it, and you wouldn't be here if it weren't for me."

He stood next to her and patted her shoulder. "You-know-who started it, and I might have ended up here at some point anyway just from doing my job. If it has to be anyone, I like that it's you. You're much cuter than Auror Moody."

Andromeda tried not to blush and shook her head. "I need to go study."

The Mudblood stepped away. "It's a free country... mostly."

The next evening, it appeared that he had just sat down to eat when she went into the kitchen. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll wait until later," she said, starting to back away.

"Nonsense. Have your dinner. The company will be welcome."

Andromeda fixed her meal and sat across from him warily.

"I'm not going to bite you."

She kept her eyes on her plate.

"Although I wouldn't mind if you bit me."

The impertinence! She looked up at him at that, to see that he was just smiling, in a nice way. "What do you want, Mudblood?"

"Just a little interaction. Wouldn't it be nice to talk over your day?"

She looked back at her food. "You couldn't possibly care about it."

"I wouldn't mind someone to talk over my day. What's wrong with those purebloods, anyway?"

"What laws did my family try to break, now?"

"I don't know. I was moved from MLE to Transportation the morning after we were moved here."

A surge of guilt rose up within her. "I'm so sorry! I didn't realize. At least for me, I can only blame my sister, but you..."

"When will you realize it has nothing to do with you?"

"It has everything to do with me!"

"It has to do with your family, sure, and you're in the middle of it, but it's not your fault. You didn't cause it. It was going on before you and continues to go on, now."

"So what did one of the old families do to you, today?"

"I suggested some changes to modernize the system, but they didn't want to hear about it. They're perfectly happy to stay in the eighteen sixties."

Andromeda nodded. "Same thing at the hospital."

"Did you get moved, too?"

"Yes, I was in spell damage, but they transferred me to lycanthropy. Since it's in the dungeons, it's considered safer."

"Aren't there other dangers?"

"Yes, but they've been all but eliminated by the way they're set up. The patients are all in one huge central ward when they're recovering, when they aren't dangerous. They're put into cells that look like Azkaban before their transformation. When I walked into the place it was filthy and frightening."

"I can't imagine it stayed that way long with you there." The Mudblood's tone was supportive and encouraging.

Andromeda shrugged. "I've done what I can to clean the place up, but it really should be two wards, one for the adults and the other for the children."

"They have kids?" Now he looked concerned.

"Yes, some lycans purposely find places to be such that when they transform, the children will be attacked."

"That's-that's simply wrong."

"But that's what they do."

"So you want them to have their own ward."

"Yes, the children should have their own ward, with toys and cheerful decorations, and a reason to decide they want to be... I don't know, as normal as possible."

"I take it you want to do away with the cells."

"Well, they can't be eliminated, but they could be made comfortable and less like a prison."

"More like a safehouse."

Andromeda's eyes met the Mudbloods-she should call him Ted, she told herself. He seemed a bit amused, but also sympathetic. His hand was over hers. "I think the witch who ran a knife through an apple, leaving a half-inch gash in a mahogony table, is a very determined woman who will find a way to help these people."

He stood up and took his dishes over to the sink. Andromeda saw that he'd left an apple in her hand. Picking up her knife, she pared it and cut it in half. His dishes were now done, and he was leaving. She stood up and handed him a piece of the fruit. "Thank you, Mu-Ted." (

"Thank you," he bit into the apple and smiled, "Dromeda."

She turned her back at this reminder of their previous acquaintance. He'd kissed her before, and he'd touched her, too. She wasn't ready to consider the context of those previous experiences alongside their current forced arrangement now. "G-goodnight," she said, a little hopefully.

"It is," he answered as he went down the hall.

Andromeda was somewhat surprised to see Uncle Alphard come down to the lycan wing a few days later. "I wasn't sure you'd come," she said. "I really didn't expect it."

"You must have known I'd welcome a chance to do something my brother and sister would both hate," he said.

Andromeda blushed. "It may have influenced my decision to write you."

He reached out and gave her braid a tug. "Good girl. Now, show me what you want to do."

She showed him around the wards, and explained how she would change things. Alphard looked at things, asked a few questions, and smiled in pride. "I'll have to talk to the goblins, but I think between myself and some friends we can make this work."

"You don't mind helping werewolves?"

"They deserve the same level of kindness anyone does, and this will make them more safe for the rest of us, right?"

"If it works as I have in mind, it will be much safer for them and for the public."

She was very excited when she got back to the flat that evening. She couldn't help talking about it with Ted. At some point during dinner, she looked up and saw that he was watching her. She realized that she'd been monopolizing the conversation.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't carry on so," she said with a blush.

"I don't mind," he said as he handed her an apple. "You have such a pretty glow in your face when you talk about it. It's obvious that you really enjoy this line of work."

It was a reminder that he had been transfered out of MLE. "Oh. I'm so sorry. You got moved away from what you love."

He shook his head. "No, I never felt about it the way you obviously do. It's as if you were made to take care of those people."

She handed him his piece of the apple and without thinking said, "You're nothing like I thought, before." She blushed and looked at the apple peel on her plate. "I mean-I shouldn't have said that."

"What did you think? What happened to make you turn on me like you did?"

Andromeda stood up and took her dishes to the sink. "I don't want to bring it up. Forget I said anything."

"Andromeda, I fancy you. I have ever since I started getting you the apples. You must have known that. You seemed to like me, too, but then you turned your back on me."

She turned and looked at him, aghast. "You seriously have no idea why I didn't want to be with you?"

"What happened? Did you change your mind? Is my muddy blood too dark for you?"

She turned back to her dishes in anger. "I can't believe you would think that's all it was. Do you honestly think I wouldn't find out what you were doing? Once I realized that you were only being nice to me to win that competition... I felt sick."

There was a long silence, to the extent that she thought he must have left the room. Finally, he quietly said, "I had no idea you knew about that."

"I knew," she said, hoping he would leave, now.

"You were never meant to be part of that. It had nothing to do with you."

"It's easy enough to say now, Mudblood."

"I suppose it is, but it's true. I knew you weren't like those girls, and certainly by the end of the first week I knew you wouldn't be part of that."

"So I'm just supposed to act like those girls didn't matter? I'm supposed to fall at your feet and be grateful that you are interested in me? You expect too much, Mudblood." She was finished with her dishes and dried her hands.

He was standing at the table and made no movement toward her as she walked out the door. "I suppose it is a lot to ask," he said quietly. "Goodnight, then."


	3. Chapter 3

They avoided each other for a few days. Andromeda was quite busy with the upcoming full moon, and told herself she didn't miss the distraction. She worked hard, studied, came home, ate her dinner, studied some more, and fell asleep. She managed to follow this pattern several days, but the evening of the full moon, she stayed overnight at the hospital. The following night, there were some patients she wanted to stay with as well.

On the night she was finally able to get home, she could do no more than stumble to the sofa in the lounge. She lay there miserably, and may have fallen asleep. When she heard the fireplace burst into life again, she tried to rouse herself. She wasn't sure she should stay where he could see her.

"Dromeda!"

A moment later she was being pulled into a sitting position, but then it stopped, and arms were still around her. It was warm, and comfortable, and unfamiliar. "What are you doing?"

"It's called cuddling," said a gentle voice in her ear. "I've been worried, kitten. Has work been awful?"

Why would he care? "I had to stay over with the full moon."

"That was the night before last."

"There was... I had... One of the patients didn't make it."

The arms around her tightened. She was starting to like it, but then he set her gently back on the sofa and stood up. "Wait here," he said.

A moment later he was holding her fingers around a glass with something alcoholic in it. "Drink this."

She took a dainty sip and wrinkled her nose, turning her face. "It's horrible."

He pushed the glass back up to her face. "You're in shock, and chilled through. This will help."

She held her breath and took some more, and then some more as he tipped the glass with his fingertip. "That's vile," she complained. Even so, she could feel her belly unfreeze as the whiskey worked its way through her. He took the glass back to the kitchen, but then came back to the couch. Before she had a chance to wish for it, she was sitting in his lap, and his arms were snug around her. This cuddling thing was very nice.

His lips caressed the side of her head. "Tell me."

"They brought someone in who had been attacked. Usually, we would keep those people until their first transformation, to make sure they will be ok. This one, though, had been too badly injured. He was about our age, maybe twenty years old, and he kept asking me if I had a boyfriend."

"Did you tell him that you were living with me?"

She pulled away slightly. "We're not living together! Not like that!"

He smiled at her. "Perhaps not, but you're the only woman in my world right now."

"Anyway, his wounds were profound, but he kept talking to me, and he seemed ok, right until he..."

She could feel a sort of emptiness in her tummy, and she cuddled back into his arms even as he pulled her close. "It's ok, kitten, you just stay right here until you feel better."

He was so warm and strong. She wanted something like that. "I wish I could absorb what you have."

"I'd be just as upset in your place."

"You seem so strong. Can you share that with me, give me some?"

He went very still. "What do you mean?" he asked quietly.

She wriggled in his lap."I think you know," she answered. She kissed the corner of his mouth.

He shook his head and repositioned them both. "I don't think that's a good idea, Miss Black. You're not in you sanest frame of mind, and there are rules for this sort of thing."

She slid out of his lap and missed the sofa, falling to the floor. "It's ok. I know you like other girls better."

She was pulled back up as if she was a ragdoll, and firmly held in his arms. "Don't be ridiculous."

"But you-you did the most special thing you could do with them."

"Andromeda, I fancy you. I didn't want you to just be a girl I could get so easily."

"Oh." She'd just been incredibly easy. "I guess you won't be interested in me any more."

"No chance of that," he answered with a chuckle. "I'll always be interested in you."

For some reason, the thought warmed her as nothing had so far. "Can we stay like this, then?"

"Of course."

When she woke up, it was dark. His arms were still around her, and they were under the blankets of her bed. Had they... been together... after all? She struggled to sit up.

"Hush," he whispered, pulling her back down. "You need your rest. I need my rest, if you don't. Go back to sleep."

She lay there a moment and realized that she still had all her clothes on. She vaguely recalled him carrying her to the bedroom and setting her on her bed, pulling her shoes off, and pulling the covers over her. She could remember pulling on his hands until he got on the bed with her, but was too tired to think if there was anything else. She cuddled closer to the Mudblood and fell back asleep.

It was light when she woke up again. This time she was alone. She sat up, and looked around, feeling rumpled and not right. Sleeping in one's clothes did not do very well. She should get up and go back to the hospital, but somehow, all she could do was sit there.

"Dromeda?"

She looked and saw the Mudblood's head in the doorway. It was time to face the world. "What time is it?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter," he answered. "When your MLE person came to take you to St. Mungo's, I told her you needed a day off. You haven't really had one since we've been here. I took the liberty of a day off, too."

He came into her room, then carrying a tray. "I think this is how you like everything."

She blushed and shrugged. "Actually, I don't know how else to make it."

He set the tray on the bed and sat next to her. "I never spent the night with a gi-wi-woman before."

She leaned back and pulled her blouse closed at her throat. "You mean we…" She looked at him with some worry.

He smiled. "No, not like that," he sighed, "and Helga knows I've done that before. I've never slept in a bed all night with a woman. It felt nice."

"Why do you do this?" she asked. She picked up the apple and took a bite out of it.

"You're different for me," he answered. "There've been other girls, but I've been thinking about it all night, and what I said is true. You're the only woman in my world." He sat down, put his hand over hers on the apple, and took a bite of his own. He wiped at a bit of juice on his chin, and then leaned down and kissed her lips briefly. As he pulled away, Andromeda could only look into his eyes and wonder what she was feeling.

Getting up, he walked to the door. "I took the liberty of inviting Madam Bones to drop by. There was something I thought we might discuss with her. She'll be here in about half an hour, if you want to freshen up or anything."

"You-" Her mouth was full, and she had no idea what she wanted to tell him, anyway. More to the point, she had no idea what he wanted to talk to Madam Bones about. Had he figured out some way that they could both just go home?

People were talking, and Andromeda couldn't really hear them. There must have been some sort of muffling spell put on both Madam Bones and the Mud-she really ought to call him Ted, or at least Tonks.

"Andromeda! Is something the matter, dear?" Madam bones was patting her hand.

"I never thought we'd… This isn't how I'd imagined…" How could she possibly explain the thoughts going round in her head?

Madam Bones smiled in that kind way older witches and wizards do, and patted her hand again. "It never does happen quite the way we imagine, but it's always magical, isn't it?"

Andromeda could feel a crease in her forehead. "Magical isn't quite the way I would describe it."

Ted had been holding her other hand the whole time. "She's known how I feel about her for ages, but wasn't sure if she could believe it. I want you to know, Andromeda, that I'm going to be a good husband, and you won't regret this."

Madam Bones stood then, and put her teacup down. "I'll leave you two to make your preparations, then. Some people in MLE will come later and tell you what the arrangements are. I suspect you'll have to stay here, for a while, but surely your family will lose interest in you as soon as you're properly married, won't they, Andromeda?"

"Perhaps." Andromeda cleared her throat. "It can be hard to tell with them, sometimes."

Ted stood, and pulled Andromeda up with him. "Thank you so much, Madam Bones. We'll always remember how you helped us, and we'll tell our children all about it."

Children!

Andromeda's mind stopped. Madam Bones was in the Floo, and it wasn't a moment too soon. Andromeda fell onto the couch in very much the same heap that had sat there the night before. Ted sat down next to her.

"Are you all right, kitten?"

"What just happened?"

"We had Madam Bones over and served her tea."

"What. Just. Happened?"

"She told us she would make all the arrangements and we'll have the ceremony tomorrow. I think we piqued her sense of romance."

Andromeda stared at the coffee table, still refusing to acknowledge that the rest of her life was now planned for her. "You're not getting it, Mudblood. What I want to know is HOW THE FUCK DID ANYONE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT I WANT TO MARRY YOU?"

"Oh, that's easy. You proposed to me."

Andromeda stared at him, aghast. She'd seen him with bags of Bertie Botts from time to time. Had they started mixing the candies with lysergic acid? "That never happened."

"Of course it did. Right after I put you in bed and you pulled me in, too, you cuddled right into me and said, 'I wish we could do this always.' That's how I knew you want to marry me."

She stood up then, completely outraged. "So, you got me drunk, and half asleep, and now you claim that I made promises, so I have to keep them, or… I don't want this! This isn't the life I'm supposed to have!"

She managed to get past him without bursting into tears, and shut the door behind her.

There weren't many options. She couldn't go home. She couldn't leave this flat other than to go to the hospital, in fact. Ted was in essentially the same situation. He could come to the flat or go to the Ministry, but no where else. Neither of them had any other choices for companionship. A thought occurred to Andromeda, and she went in search of the Mudblood. He wasn't in the lounge or the kitchen. She knocked on his bedroom door.

Fortunately, he didn't greet her with a smart-mouthed comment. "Do you need something?"

"Isn't there someone else you'd rather marry? Someone you wanted to be with?"

He looked down and away. "You're the only woman in my world right now."

It wasn't exactly hearts and flowers. "But if we ever left here?"

"That's not going to happen, is it?"

What she was feeling must have shown in her face, because he came outside of his room and took her hand. "Don't fret, kitten. We get along well, don't we? I've fancied you for ages, and I think you like me, too. Don't you?" He leaned down and kissed her. He tipped up her chin to look into her eyes. "Is there someone else you'd rather marry?"

That was it, wasn't it? Kingsley Shacklebolt flashed across her mind, but vanished before she could even focus on the image. There was absolutely no one who had ever wanted her. Andromeda wasn't even sure her family cared about her other than to scold her when her hair was out of place or her robe was stained. Her life stretched out forever, coming and going from this apartment until her life was over. Suddenly she understood what the Mudblood meant. If they joined their lives, there would at least be companionship.

"All right, Mr. Tonks, I'll marry you."

He smiled and pulled her close. "Brilliant!" He kissed her again, pulling her tight this time. Now she found her arms slipping up around his neck. After a moment, he groaned and stopped, putting some space between them. "I can wait," he said, "but not very patiently. Go ahead. Get ready for when the Ministry people come back."

It wasn't very long before Andromeda was standing in a pretty dress that didn't quite fit, holding the Mudblood's hands, and talking to the Ministry official. The Mudblood was wearing dress robes she wasn't sure she'd seen before. Perhaps they'd come from the same place as the dress. A moment later, she and the Mudblood-she'd have to get used to thinking of him as Ted, she supposed-were being hugged silly by his parents.

"It's a pity your family couldn't make it," said Ted's mum. "I'm sure they'll want pictures though. Smile!"

There were flashing lights and more hugs, a quick tea in the canteen, and then a Portkey was being handed to Ted. "The bags are already there," said some MLE person whose name Andromeda hadn't caught. "The same Portkey will bring you back to the safe house. Just remember, no trying to contact anyone, so wandering around. Stay within the hotel's gates and you'll do."

There was a last flurry of hugs from Ted's mum and dad, a few last pictures, and then Ted was pulling Andromeda's hand onto the glowing skeleton key.

"I can't believe I'm finally alone with you," Ted said into her ear.

They were in a small suite of rooms. There was a tiny lounge with a sofa next to a room big enough to contain an enormous bed. Through the bedroom there appeared to be the bath. Andromeda couldn't stop staring at the bed. She had mixed feelings about what was supposed to happen next.

"I, um, should maybe change? The woman told me that there was something special to wear before we, well, since it's our wedding night…"

The Mudblood-Ted-stepped closer. "You'll have a chance to wear it later. I'm sure I'll enjoy seeing you in it, but for now, oh… Dromeda…"

He held her chin in his hands and tipped her head up. Then he was kissing her, hard. He shifted his hands so that he was holding her, and she thought she would melt from the heat. It had never been like this, before. This was intense. Her knees were getting rubbery when he lifted his head.

"May I unfasten your dress, love?"

So far there hadn't been any of the sort of groping that had been part of their previous encounters, but her skin tingled where his hands were resting at the sides of her breasts. It was past time to acknowledge that she liked the feeling. Moreover, it was perfectly acceptable to give in to the wish for his hands on her bare skin, now. She nodded, and he moved around her.

He started by kissing the nape of her neck. "I've dreamed of this," he murmured. His hands did something along her shoulders, and his mouth followed. Then he started unbuttoning.

At the time she'd put on the dress, she couldn't understand why the buttons were so close together. The garment didn't actually need so many buttons. Now she blessed every one of them because Ted kissed the bit of skin exposed as he undid each one. He took his time, but eventually the back of her dress was open and he was kneeling behind her. He was nibbling at the back of her waist, and his hands were holding her hips.

"Absolutely beautiful," he whispered. He stood up, and an instant later, the dress fell down in front of her, and hairpins were being pulled out of her hair and set on a table nearby. He turned her around and held her hands as he looked at her in bra and knickers. "You're gorgeous," he said.

She felt herself blushing. "I don't know…"

He leaned down to kiss her again. "You are."

It was a short kiss. He stopped to pick her up and put her on the bed. He unfastened his own robes and took them off, tossing and dropping them as he did. Then he leaned down and kissed her some more. They were skin to skin, kissing and touching. He nibbled her ear. "Are you all right?" he whispered. "Do we need to stop or slow down?"

"Oh, please," she answered. With a boldness she didn't know she had, she touched him, exploring as much as he had explored her.

Ted jumped. "Hold on." He brought her hand up to kiss it. "We're almost to a point where I won't be able to stop."

"I don't want to stop," she answered. "I knew this was going to happen, and I want it."

"Oh kitten," he hissed. "You surprise me."

Suddenly he seemed to have far more than two hands, touching her, removing the last bits of clothing, and touching her again in the most intimate of places. She gasped in surprise and then delight followed by ever greater desire. Then his hands moved to her hips again, and he pulled her ever closer to himself and she found herself moving to a place where she couldn't really think.

Andromeda wasn't sure what had become of herself. All she could do was feel as Ted touched her and kissed her. Then it hurt a little and she couldn't stop a yelp from coming out.

Everything stopped for an instant. His arms came up around her and he whispered, "I'm so sorry; I didn't realize I would hurt you."

It didn't hurt for long, and she couldn't seem to keep herself from pressing her hips back up toward his again. There was a sound between a groan and a laugh as his hands came back down around her bum. "So amazing," he hissed.

She couldn't do anything but squeak in response. In fact a lot of little squeaks seemed to be coming out of her throat as the feelings within her grew and intensified. She felt as though she was flying apart into millions of pieces, and then whatever it was that had hold of her let go. Ted pressed hard against her, and then he fell over her, breathing heavily.

For a moment, he held her tightly, in a way that was almost protective as he kissed her forehead and eyes. Then he rolled to her side and looked down at her. He seemed curious and confused.

"Is something the matter?" she asked, a little worried. Had she done something wrong?

"I didn't expect-You weren't-This was nothing like what I've ever experienced before," he whispered.

"I'm sorry." She bit her lip.

He smiled then. "No… it was perfect, the most amazing thing I've ever… I'm sorry; I should have realized you were a virgin. I didn't mean to hurt you, but mostly, it's never been like that for me. I've never had so much… it was beyond my dreams of you, and I had high expectations."

"Really?" She smiled, shyly.

"This is going to be a brilliant marriage."


End file.
